For the Love of Elle
by lonniegirl
Summary: A man out for revenge kidnaps Lonnie Jamison's new bride. He saves her life, but can he save her sanity?
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1...October 1990

 _Elle moaned softly as his hand caressed her bare hip, trailed over her tight flat stomach then moved upwards to gently cup her left breast. She felt warm kisses on her shoulder and up her neck ending just below her ear lobe. She opened her eyes and turned towards Lonnie to give him a passionate kiss only to find herself staring into the face of Gerrick Gable. She tried to scream but his hand clamped down on her nose and mouth cutting off her breath._

Lonnie nearly dropped the cup of hot coffee he had just poured when he heard Elle's piercing scream roll down the hallway and explode into the kitchen. No, no, no …not again. Dear God, not again, he pleaded, throwing the cup toward the sink. He would have a mess to clean up later.

He pounded down the hall, his hand automatically going to the service pistol at his hip. The weapon would be useless, of course. Lonnie knew he couldn't gun down a nightmare.

"Elle?" he called softly, as he entered the bedroom, scanning for intruders just in case.

She was right where he knew she would be; Crouched down between the corner of the room and the bed, plastered against the wall.

As soon as she saw him, she flew up off the floor and into his arms at lightning speed. She had always hugged him tightly and he teased her that she was trying to get inside his skin with him, but this time it was different. He thought she might actually make it this time.

"Shhh...it's just a dream, baby, shhh."

He rubbed her back very lightly and stroked her hair trying to calm her down.

"He's dead! He's dead! Why won't he leave me alone Lonnie?" she sobbed.

The man was indeed dead. Lonnie's shot between his eyes and Bubba's heart shot, almost simultaneously, had made damn sure of that!

What little info the chief had combined with what Jimmy Dawes had dredged up, put Lonnie and Bubba in the right place. If they hadn't gotten there when they did, Elle would be the dead one instead of Gable.

"I got you, Elle. It's ok, babe."

He moved back slightly and looked into her big brown eyes ...eyes that once sparkled with intensity and mischief were now distant and haunted. A single tear slipped over the lower lashes of her left eye and rolled slowly down her cheek. Lonnie wiped it away with the pad of his thumb. He hated to see her this way. When she cried for any reason, it damn near tore him up every time. Her trembling eased and she loosened her grip on him.

"Better now?" he asked. She nodded slightly, lowering her eyes to look at his shirt.

She raised her eyes to his again and softly spoke. "Maybe I should talk to someone like Althea suggested. What do you think?"

"I think it would be a good idea, Elle. It might stop these dreams."

"Ok, ok, let me think about it some more."

Lonnie nodded.

It must have been a bad one. Not that the rest hadn't been but her response to this one was worse than the others.

He smiled down at her. "Want to help me clean up that disaster I just made in the kitchen?" He got a small grin in return.

"What did you break?" she asked. "I thought I heard something shatter but wasn't sure if I had imagined it or not."

"You didn't imagine it. I threw one of your china cups into the sink. Sorry, babe."

She slapped at him playfully. "My grandmother's china cups, you mean!"

"Better watch out, Mrs. Jamison! I can run you in for spousal abuse, you know," Lonnie quipped.

"Yeah right! Like anybody will believe that bogus charge! I treat you like a king!"

The light was back in her eyes. Now this was his Elle! He loved her with everything he had and he wanted her back permanently, not just the occasional glimpse he got since Gable. He watched the shine fade and her eyes turned flat again. Damn you, Gable! You son of a bitch! Why Elle? Why my girl? But Lonnie knew why. It had all been for payback.

"Leave the disaster. I'll get it," she said.

She turned to straighten the bedding but froze as she reached to grab it. Stepping back from the bed, she said, "You can make the bed!" Turning away from him, she hurried to the bathroom and shut the door.

Her reaction to this dream, and the bed, had Lonnie worried about her more than usual. Once she settled down a little more, he had some questions this time. Most of her nightmares he never spoke about again, but this was one he needed answers to. He grabbed a handful of bedding and began to make the bed when he heard the bathroom door open. Looking up, he saw Elle standing propped against its jam with her bottom lip quivering.

"Get that counselor's name from Virgil," she said.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2...June 1990

Gerrick Gable rolled into Sparta as silently as he had rolled out 3 years ago. His hatred for the Sparta PD and anything Lonnie Jamison burned a hole in the pit of his stomach, as if he had swallowed battery acid. Especially after Jackson Tudor, one of the Wormley cousins, had sent him the article from the Sparta Herald.

 _Jamison, promoted yet again! To detective 1st grade, no less!_

And now married to one of the most beautiful girls Gable had ever seen.

Tudor told him, "I've seen her in person. That announcement picture don't do her justice, man. She's a stunner! Shoulder length dark hair, dark eyes with mile long lashes, and a smile to light up a room. Long legs and tan skin …bout 5'8" give or take and little over a hundred pounds. If a strong wind were to come up, why I do believe it would blow her all the way to the gulf. Ain't no meat on her bones to speak of."

Tudor had also said, "she makes my mouth water!"

Gable found this statement hysterical since he knew for a fact that Tudor swung the other way. Boy hadn't been the same since his stay at Parchment.

Gable turned the corner onto Hunters Trace and pulled up a few feet before parking. He doused the lights and lit a cigarette. Jamison's house was across the street and 2 doors down from where he was parked. The house was dark and he didn't see that fancy sports car that Jamison was so proud of, anywhere. Course, it could be in the garage, he told himself. It was only a little after 10. They could be out some place or they could be in there screwing like two rabbits. This thought only fueled Gable's hatred further.

Hunters Trace was an appropriate name for the street Jamison lived on, Gable decided, considering he was about to go hunting for a brunette baby doll to destroy Lonnie (Mr. Perfect) Jamison's whole world.

He flicked the butt out the window, turned the engine over and drove slowly past the house without the headlights. He smiled to himself. Let the games begin.

Two days later, Lonnie and Elle, met Bubba, Tracy, Luke and Carol at David and Susan Castle's house for poker night. Well, boy's poker night and girl's gab fest, is what it boiled down to.

The guys were sitting at the poker table in the basement rec room, deep into Texas Hold Em.

"I call," Lonnie said.

"What's wrong with you tonight, son?" David asked. "You're not up to snuff. I fold." David threw his cards down.

"I don't know. Something is nagging at me," Lonnie sighed.

Lonnie and Luke had nothing, so the hand went to Bubba. As Bubba was racking the chips in, Lonnie said, "Parker told me today that he thought he saw Gerrick Gable pulling into the hardware store parking lot."

"Gerrick Gable!" Bubba and Luke both spit the man's name like it was poison.

"Who's Gerrick Gable?" David asked.

"Someone we thought we were done with but apparently not. If Parker said he saw him, then you can bet the farm he is back in town again. Parker don't miss much and the man never forgets a face! He acts dumb but that's all it is, an act," Bubba said.

The guys all laughed at that statement because it was true. Parker's IQ was higher than most peoples. He was just short on common sense sometimes. The man had a heart of gold and they were all happy to call him their friend.

Bubba looked at David and said, "to answer your question, Gable tried to join the force a couple years back. Lonnie accidentally stumbled across some information that made Gable out to be dirty and turned it over to the Chief. The Chief and Virgil did some more digging and didn't like what they found out. The man was chin deep in drugs, corruption, money laundering, prostitution, you name it. We just couldn't get enough evidence to charge him with any of it! But the Chief shredded his application and told the man in no uncertain terms that he would never get into law enforcement and he had some nerve even trying. Well, Gable went and got Comer involved and you know how much Comer hates the chief. Things just went from bad to worse. You remember all this, don't ya David?"

"Yeah, now I do remember! I believe Lonnie ended up running Gable out of town, right?"

David looked to Lonnie for confirmation.

"Yeah, I sure did. He went quietly but not before telling me he would be back some day. Looks like he kept his word."

About that time, they heard footsteps on the stairs and Elle entered the rec room followed by Sweet.

"Who's winnin'?" he asked.

They all pointed to the big pile of chips in front of Bubba. "Yeah, it's my lucky night!" Bubba boasted.

"Hey um, Lonnie? Parker wanted me to tell you that he saw that car again. You know, the one from the hardware store? It's registered to a Jackson Tudor. Parker says he's related to that Wormley bunch." Sweet said, as he shrugged his shoulders.

Bubba slapped his hand down on the table, making the chips and Elle jump. "Not that pack of hounds again!"

"No, no …" Sweet said, "…nothing on the rest of em. Just this Tudor guy. A distant cousin or some such."

Lonnie raised an eyebrow. "Gable's a distant cousin of the Wormley's too. On his mama's side, I think," he said.

Elle had come to stand beside Lonnie's chair and he put his arm around her hips and drew her closer. "What you girls been up to?" he asked.

"We girls have decided we are done with poker! We are going shopping!" And with that promptly put her hand out in front her husband, palm up, wiggling her fingers.

Lonnie slapped her palm with his and said, "have fun!"

The guys laughed out loud at that and Elle said, "Oh ha ha. Very funny, hubster. If you give me some money, I'll buy you something from that new Victoria's Secret store that just opened in the mall. Like a new teddy or a pair of thong underwear."

She gave Lonnie a wink and that 1000 watt smile that made his heart do flip flops. He reached into his back pocket for his wallet and handed her his credit card. "Don't go overboard! I'm still paying on the honeymoon."

She flashed him that smile again and said, "yes, but it was worth every penny!"

She could charge a million dollars on that card and he would never say a harsh word about it. She could have anything she wanted. He would never say no to her and she knew it. He would work himself to death to pay for it but Elle never took advantage of that. If she really, really, really wanted something or just had to have some trinket, she always asked him about it first. Elle was very mindful of their finances and stayed well within the limits she set for herself. Of course, Lonnie would buy her anything she asks for but she rarely asked for anything at all. So giving her the credit card tonight was his way of saying buy out the store.

She kissed his cheek and said, "thanks sugar. We'll be back when the mall closes. See you all later!"

"Yeah, I gotta go too." Sweet headed for the stairs.

"Hey, Elle?" Bubba called.

"What Bub?"

"Do us all a favor?" he asked, "Don't buy Lonnie any of that thong underwear. Luke, Sweet and I don't want to have to see all that in the locker room, ok?"

She gave Bubba a thumbs up and was gone. She could still hear them howling with laughter as the four gals headed out the door.

Tracy pulled the Highlander into the mall lot and found a spot between the light pole and the door. For safety reasons, she always parked close to a light. They got out and headed to the entrance.

Carol said, "I think I'll go down to the book store while you all look in Victoria's Secret."

"Oh no you don't!" Elle grabbed her arm and pulled her along towards the store.

"You got to quit being so shy, girl! We'll help you find something modest but sexy to wear for Luke."

"Oh, oh, oh I couldn't! I just couldn't, Elle!" Carol was about in tears.

"Oh for pete's sake Carol! Is it going to hurt just to look and try somethin' on?" Susan said.

"Well, no I suppose not," Carol agreed.

As the women were walking past the food court, two men were standing in line for sandwiches and milkshakes.

"So you gonna just snatch her up for some snatch?" Tudor asked.

Gable could not believe he was actually going to use this idiot!

"Will you keep your mouth shut until we sit down, you jackass!"

"Sorry, gman! Geez, you're touchy tonight."

Gable turned to Tudor and said, "don't call me gman! You know I hate L.E.O's of any kind! Go find a table."

Grabbing their trays, they headed for one on the outskirts of the dining area. They sat in silence for a few minutes, chewing their sandwiches and swigging gulps of vanilla and strawberry shakes. Finally, Gable spoke.

"Tell me more about Jamison's woman."

"Like what, man? I don't know much more than I already told ya," Tudor said around a mouthful of burger.

"Well, for starters, where did you actually see her in person?"

"At the Palomino Club."

"The Palomino Club?"

"Yeah, man! The Palomino Club. It's this country western bar out on Tyler Road. On the 2nd and 4th Tuesday of the month, his woman sings with a country southern rock band that plays there. She sings damn good too. The band ain't bad either!"

"A country band?" Gable hated country music!

"Yeah, man! A country band. The Southern Bullets!"

"The Southern Bullets?"

"When did you turn into a fuckin' parrot, man?" Tudor was the one getting irritated now. "Yeah, man! The Southern Bullets!"

"When does she sing again?"

"Sorry, man. I ain't got a calendar on me today. And you know I don't keep up with stuff like that."

"Yep, your useless alright."

Once I grab the girl, it will be time to put our family out of the misery of having to deal with you, Gable thought to himself.

Gable got up silently and walked over to the bookstore and came back with one.

"Shit! Year is half over with, they still charge me $8 for this!"

It was pretty though. It was a Sparta calendar. The Rotary Club did them every year as a fundraiser. This year's just happened to be secluded and seldom visited locations, in and around Sparta, Mississippi. He found the June page. This coming Tuesday was the 2nd one for the month.

"Ok, here's what we'll do. We go see her this Tuesday. Get the lay of the land, then we grab her the next time she sings."

"What if Jamison is there watching her that night?"

"He won't be."

"How you know?" Tudor was curious.

"Fourth week of the month is Jamison's week for night duty."

"I'm going to ask you again," Tudor snapped, "how do you know?"

"I still got friends in this town that pass me information when I need it. Now, let it go," Gable warned.

"Yeah, alright, I'll drop it." Tudor backed off. Best not to make the gman mad. He could be unpredictable.

About that time Tudor squealed like a pig and grabbed Gable's arm, shaking it fiercely.

"What the hell is …" Gable didn't get a chance to finish.

"There she is! There she is!" He pointed.

Coming across the mall, heading straight at them was Jamison's woman, laughing and talking with three others. Tudor was right. The picture didn't do her justice! She was a goddess! She was wearing short shorts, a tank top with Keds on her feet and she took Gable's breath away. They watched the group pass by silently.

After they were gone, Tudor said, "Didn't I tell ya? Huh, huh? Didn't I tell ya?"

Gable didn't answer him. Instead he looked back down at the calendar and knew where he would take her when he grabbed her up. The picture on the month of June was the perfect place for some alone time with Mrs. Lonnie Jamison but it needed some more planning.

"Let's go! We got work to do."


	3. Chapter 3

CHAPTER 3...June 1990

"Hey Tracy! You should buy a pair of these and wear them for Bubba! It'll turrrnnn himmmm onnnnn!" Elle's voice sing-songed halfway across the store. Tracy looked in her direction and saw Elle twirling what looked to be a few pieces of dental floss around on her index finger. She made her way over as Elle held them up by the edges. Taking them in her hand, she turned over the price tag and her eyes bulged.

"Elle, you aren't going to pay $15 for some thread are you?"

"I sure am. Got 5 pair!"

"Girl, Lonnie's gonna get ya!"

"That's what I'm hoping for!" Elle's eyes danced with merriment and Tracy and Susan burst out laughing.

"Where did Carol go?" Elle asked.

"I'm over here."

Looking down the isle, they spotted Carol holding up a very see through nightie. When she realized she could see the store right through the thing, she put it back down.

Elle saw Carol's face turn red and said to her, "Don't you think Luke might like that?"

"I'm, um, um I'm sure he probably would. I just don't know."

"What do you mean you just don't know?" Susan said. "Doesn't he like your undies?"

"I don't know!" Carol wailed. "He's never seen them!"

"Never seen them?" All three of the other girls said at exactly the same time.

"Why not?" Elle was the first to ask.

"Because we ain't never, you know, done it."

"How long you been dating Luke now?" Tracy asked.

"Bout 8 months I guess."

Elle turned to Susan and mouthed the word WOW!

Turning back to Carol, Elle said, "I think I jumped Lonnie's bones round about the 3rd date and he didn't disappoint!"

Tracy jumped in there adding, "Bubba and I waited a month, I guess."

Susan was all apologetic. "Sorry girls, first date! We just couldn't help ourselves."

Carol stood there with her jaw hanging open. "Really? There must be something wrong with me then. Luke acts like he's not even interested."

Elle couldn't contain herself any longer. "Then we'll just have to sex you up some and he won't be able to resist."

"I don't know, Elle." Carol was hesitant.

"Well, I do!" Elle said. "Come on girls."

They got to work. New sexy outfit, new sexy underwear and a new hair style and makeover, all from the mall. Carol didn't recognize herself but what would Luke think.

"He's gonna love it," Elle assured her, "and If he doesn't you go back to the old Carol. Your hair will grow back."

"But, I really like my new hair do."

"Then there ya go," Elle said.

Carol giggled. The whole idea was growing on her.

"Ok, Tracy. You sure you don't want a pair of thong undies?" Elle raised an eyebrow at her friend.

"I've spent half my life trying to keep my undies outta my crack! No thanks!" Their laughter echoed around the almost empty mall and they headed out to the car.

When they got back to Susan's house, the guys were still downstairs. Elle could tell they were done playing cards because she could hear ESPN on the tv. The girls crept down the stairs and quietly stood behind the sectional but not one of the guys even noticed they were there. Elle ran up and threw her arms around Lonnie's neck and kissed his ear lobe.

"We're back," she whispered.

"Bout time," he said. "I was ready to head home and let you hoof it."

"Now would you do that to me?" Elle pouted.

"You know I wouldn't, but let's go huh? I'm beat."

"Ok, just a minute though."

She was watching Luke as he checked out his new girlfriend.

Lonnie eyes widened as he came around the corner of the sectional. He put his arms around Elle's waist and drew her back against him.

"You been a busy bunch."

"Yep," Elle replied. "Had to sex Carol up some."

"You did good, baby." Lonnie nuzzled her ear.

"Hope Luke thinks so." Elle had her fingers crossed.

Bubba was the first to speak. "Wow, Carol! You look different."

"She looks great!" came David's response.

Luke simply stood there and stared. "Luke, Luke? What do you think?" Susan asked.

"You look beautiful, Carol," Luke finally said.

"Thank you, Luke."

"Can we go now?" He asked as he took her and and started heading up the stairs.

"Bye ya all!"

And they were gone.

"We gone too," Lonnie said.

"So are we," Bubba said.

"Bye David, Susan, thanks for the eats. You always make sure we're fed good when we play here." Elle punched Bubba on the arm.

"So do I, when you play at our house!"

"Yeah, Elle, yeah you do." Bubba gave Lonnie a smirk.

Elle wasn't the best cook in Sparta but she was coming along.

"Night everybody," Bubba said as he put his arm around Tracy and headed up the stairs with Lonnie and Elle right behind.

"Hey, Elle?" Bubba said as she was getting into the vette.

"What Bub?"

"Did you buy any of that thong underwear for Lonnie?"

"I sure did, 5 pair!"

"Aw geez! Make sure he don't wear that to work, will ya."

Elle's laugh sounded around the neighborhood and they drove off in the direction of home.

"So, how much did your little shopping trip cost me?" Lonnie glanced over at Elle and she threw him one of those smiles.

"Promise you won't get mad?" Elle ventured.

"You know I'm not going to get mad, baby."

"$685 plus change, but it was all worth it, Lonnie." She was on a roll. "Since it was my idea to do a make over on Carol, I thought the least I could do was pay for it. Hers wasn't all that much really. $110 for the new outfit and $60 for her sexy undies. $30 for the haircut and the make up was free. They do those at the Lancôme counter, to try to get you to buy stuff after you see how good you look. Carol bought her own make up. Then I found a new pair of cowboy boots, a real cute sleeveless black dress with ruffles at the bottom trimmed in white that I can wear with my short sleeveless denim vest for on stage. Those were on sale by the way! Oh, and what I got from Victoria's Secret of course. But I'm going to give you my Palomino money for Carol's stuff. We had a great time helping, Carol and I think she looked fabulous. Think Luke did too by the way he grabbed her and ran off."

Lonnie had a smile on his face as they pulled into the driveway. Hitting the garage door opener on the visor and pulling into the garage, Lonnie was finally able to get a word in.

"Like I said, you did good, baby."

"Thank you for giving me the credit card and not getting sore with me for buying Carol's make over," Elle said.

"Nothing to be sore over, honey. It makes me happy that helping Carol makes you happy. Nough said!"

Elle leaned over and gave him a deep, sweet kiss.

"I love you, Lonnie. Sometimes, I think you're too good to me."

"I can never be too good to you, babe. You're my heart and soul."

Lonnie's hard exterior always softened around his wife. Everybody had told her that he was cold but Elle found him anything but cold. He was looking at her now with so much love and warmth in his eyes, it made her want to cry.

"You gonna model those new undies for me tonight?" he asked with a sly smile.

"Absolutely!" Elle smiled that smile again. His heart did it's usual roll in his chest when he saw it.

"You gonna make mad, passionate love to me after I model for you?" Elle said, sexily.

"Absolutely!"

"Last one in, feeds Sampson and Delilah!" Elle teased and jumped out of the car, grabbing the bags that she had stashed behind the seat before going back into the Castle's house after the shopping trip.

Lonnie took his time. He always fed the dogs anyway.

Sampson and Delilah greeted Elle as she came into the kitchen from the garage. She put down the shopping bags and knelt to hug them and give each a nightly Elle belly rub. It always tickled her the way Sampson's back leg would kick when she scratched his belly, like he was trying to start a motorcycle. The faster she scratched, the faster he kicked. Delilah just let her tongue hang out, like she was enjoying the best thing ever. Lonnie came in and noticed her on the floor doing her ritual with the German Shepherds.

"They love you just as much as I do, you know?"

"I know. And I love them like they are our kids. At least until we have some of our own," Elle replied.

Lonnie didn't know quite what to say. All during their dating, engagement and wedding planning phases, neither one of them had even talked about children. He wanted a couple. Sure he did, but if it never happened, he would be perfectly content living out the rest of his life with Elle and the dogs. Technically, the dogs belonged to the department but since Lonnie was their primary caregiver, he considered them his.

Elle walked over and put her arms around his waist and laid her head on his chest. He locked his hands together behind her back and kissed her head.

You want a baby?" he asked.

"Course I do! Someday. A few years down the road. You don't think I would marry you and not want to have your babies, do you?"

About that time, there was a loud clatter at their feet. Sampson had carried his food bowl over and dropped it, to announce that he was hungry. Delilah nudged hers across the floor towards them.

"Tell daddy, you hungry," Elle said in baby talk. Both dogs barked twice. She could be so childlike at times and very much a woman at others. He was enchanted with her and never wanted it to end. Lonnie opened the back door and let the dogs outside for their before dinner and bed race around the yard and sniff and pee extravaganza.

"You ready for your fashion show?" Elle asked as he scooped kibble into both dog bowls and gave them fresh water.

"Fashion away!" he said with a smile.

Elle hurried into the bedroom and chose a pink pair of thongs to model. Cutting off the price tag, she had another thought. Rummaging through a bottom drawer, she found one of Lonnie's old gray Sparta High t-shirts. She grabbed a pair of scissors and cut it into a crop top. It showed the bottom swell of her breasts and would be perfect with the pink thongs. She was not overly endowed and she was ok with that. She really didn't want them any bigger. Lonnie had said, "they were the perfect size. Anything over a mouthful is a waste in my opinion."

She had just slipped into the thong and was checking herself out in the full length mirror when she heard frenzied barking and vicious growls coming from the back yard. Lonnie opened the back door and looked out. It wasn't exactly pitch black but there was not much light either. He thought it odd that the motion sensor lights hadn't come on when the dogs hit the yard. Flipping the switch by the door, he lit it up with flood lights. The dogs were still going crazy at the back fence that separated them from the service alley. Pulling a tactical flashlight out of the utility drawer, he stepped outside to search the yard. He gave the dogs the command to stop barking, (SETTLE) and they stopped immediately and trotted over to him.

"Good boy, good girl," he told them.

Protectors of home and family. That's why he loved them. He felt much better about leaving Elle alone when he had to pull night duty. Since he had made detective and was more or less under Virgil now, he didn't have to work nights as much as he had as an officer. He had told everyone that he would still work 1 full week a month on night patrol just to help give his co workers a break. He, Sweet and Randy all worked together that week along with a few of the newer officers. Elle had pouted about his volunteering to continue night shift.

"But Lonnie," she had said, "Virgil says, you don't have to unless you're called in for something."

"I know, baby, but I feel like I need to do it anyway. You'll be fine with the pups here."

She had finally agreed to it. The dogs would follow only a few peoples commands and it hadn't taken them but a couple of days after he and Elle had started dating for them to take a shine to her. First command she ever gave them, they obeyed without hesitation and continued to do so. If someone tried to hurt her, all she had to do was say GUARD for them to surround her and keep an intruder off or PROTECT and they would tear a man limb from limb. The combined strength of both dogs would make a person wish the thought of hurting her had never crossed their mind.

Lonnie drew his weapon and held it down by his leg as he approached the gate in the back fence, the dogs following, eager to get a hold of that weird smell from the other side. He told them to stay and they immediately sat down, soldier straight, watching intently. They would be ready to attack for this man and his woman, who gave great nightly belly rubs, without any command. They loved them so very much!

Lonnie opened the gate and swept the light around but didn't see anything unusual. Stepping out into the alley, he looked both ways but didn't see anything. There were plenty of places for someone to hide but Lonnie figured it was just some kids taking a shortcut.

"Everything ok, Lonnie?" Mrs. Hammond called from her back porch.

"Oh, yes ma'am, Mrs. Hammond. Probably just some kids. Sorry if the dogs bothered ya."

"No, they didn't bother me any. When I hear them bark that way, I know something might be up. I can tell the difference when they are playing and when they mean business," she laughed.

"Oh, yes ma'am. You sure can. Good night!"

"Good night, Lonnie. Tell that sweet wife of yours that I'll bring over a fresh baked apple pie for ya all tomorrow sometime."

"Will do, Mrs. Hammond. Thank you!"

"No problem, I enjoy her company. She's just the cutest thing there ever was and I'm sure glad you found somebody. I was beginning to worry bout you, boy." And with that she went back in and shut the door.

Jackson Tudor had fully intended to spray paint a skull, swastika or some other warning on the back of the privacy fence behind Jamison's house, but the dogs had spoiled his fun. Gable would shit kittens if he knew Tudor had done something that might wreck his plans ...plans that Tudor had come to call "Operation Snatch."

Gable was having a hard time getting his ducks in a row. He kept flip flopping between kidnapping and torturing Jamison's woman to whisking her away to some romantic destination and wooing her affections away from her husband. Tudor found the latter quite funny and had told Gable so.

"She ain't gonna go for that, man. Look at ya! You're a Neanderthal, man!" Gable punched him in the stomach...HARD! Tudor grabbed his mid section and doubled over and puked his good breakfast from the Magnolia right up onto the mobile homes old linoleum kitchen floor.

:Clean that up!" Gable growled and had headed out to the work shop.

After cleaning up his mess, Tudor headed that way too. Gable was sitting in an old lawn chair, tying knots into thin strips of leather.

"Whatcha making?" he asked.

"A home made cat o nine tails."

"A what?" Tudor was curious now.

"A cat o nine tails. It's basically a handle with nine short whips attached. The knots create better welting on the skin and can leave some major scarring."

Tudor didn't like the sound of that. He knew Gable had talked about torture when it came to Elle but he was thinking more along the lines of just chaining her up at the place they had picked out. It would be equipped and ready to go after a couple days of hard work. Maybe having some fun with her, sexually. But to damage that pretty things delicate skin that way, permanently? Tudor thought maybe he might be in over his head and for a brief second, thought about going straight to Jamison and telling him all about Gable's plan.

He got brought out of that thought when Gable said, "Day after tomorrow is Tuesday. We gonna go see her sing. If her old man ain't around, we'll grab her when she's done on stage."

"Oh, oh well, ok."

Tudor said, "It better be ok."

Gable looked up at him. "Don't forget. You're in this up to your eyeballs." He pointed a 9mm at him, that Tudor hadn't seen before. Tudor's plan to be a snitch disappeared into thin air.

"Load the truck up. We got to get the holding area ready," Gable said.

Tudor took off at a sprint. He was beginning to regret having sent that article to Gable in the first place.

"I'm starting to think I don't want no part of this," he said to himself. "Especially the barrel end of that 9mm!"

Lonnie opened the door and the dogs rushed inside, ready for their dinner. After putting the flashlight back in the drawer and his pistol back in it's holster, he put both food bowls down on the rubber boot trays that Elle had bought from Wal-Mart and then the water bowls. The dogs were sloppy eaters and drinkers. A couple of weeks after they had started dating, Elle had stepped in a puddle of water in her socks.

"Ewww! That better not be pee!" she scolded at the dogs. Delilah had just cocked her head and looked loving at her belly rub guru, the top of one ear flopped over. It just wouldn't stay up when she was relaxed and loving life.

"It's not pee," Lonnie had said. "They never have accidents inside. It's just water from where they drink a little too aggressively," he laughed.

The next day, the boot trays arrived. They were rubber with a 1" inch lip all the way around. Made to put your muddy or wet boots in to kept your floor clean, they worked perfectly for keeping spilled kibble and dripped, sloshed water off too.

"You owe me $30 for those things," Elle told him.

Lonnie had grabbed her and kissed her hard, then whispered against her mouth, "how about we take it out in trade?"

"I'm ok with that!" And she had hurried him to the bedroom for payment.

Both dogs stood stock still, waiting to be told they could eat. The command for this was GO AHEAD ...the chief's doings.

Lonnie put his hands on his hips and said, "Well? What ya waitin' on? Go ahead." Both dogs dug in.

They would stand there and not eat at all until the end of time if the command was not given. This was one command anybody could use along with Settle, Stay, Heal. Only the drug search commands and the guard/ protection commands were limited to certain people. The dogs were very much aware of who could tell them what.

"Lonnie? What were the dogs going crazy over?" he heard Elle call from the bedroom.

"Nothing babe. Just some kids in the alley."

He made sure the kitchen door was locked then checked the front one and pushed in the alarm code in the security panel.

"Excuse me, Detective Jamison but I do believe I'm in need of some help," he heard an over exaggerated southern drawl from behind him say.

Turning, he saw an almost naked angel, standing in the doorway of the kitchen. She had her hands propped against either side of the door frame which caused the crop top to barely cover her nipples. The little pink eye patch of cloth between her legs stood out in stark contrast to dark, complicated skin. There wasn't an ounce of fat on her body anywhere, thanks to 3 time weekly trips to the gym and running on occasion with him, when he didn't plan on going too far. Plus she ate like a bird. Her skin glistened from the scented lotion that she had rubbed on and he caught a whiff of vanilla as he drew in a sharp breath. My god!, Lonnie thought to himself. How did I ever get so lucky?

"Yes, miss. What can I do for you?" he played along.

"Well, I think my body just might need some investigating." She crossed her right foot over her left and did a slow unwind to present him her backside. He saw 2 perfectly round, firm dark buns, separated by a pink string. She raised her right shoulder and glanced back at him with sultry eyes. Her dark hair shined under the glow from the overhead kitchen light that just barely reached the doorway where she stood.

"You interested in a side job on the down low?"

He could really take that 2 ways but knew where she was going. He started to say, Why yes, ma'am. I think I could handle that, when Sampson got up from the floor where he was laying and walked toward Elle. Next thing Elle knew, she felt a cold, wet nose pressed against her bare right buttock and then a warm rough tongue as Sampson licked her ass cheek.

"Heeeyy! Stop that Sampson! Your ruining my sexy moment!"

Lonnie collapsed in laughter and said, "Sampson knows a good thing when he sees it!"

Elle looked down at the dog and pointed to Delilah. "Your nookie is over there! Go get it!"

Sampson gave a little yelp, spun around twice in a tight circle and pounced on Delilah, biting her ear. Delilah yelped herself and snapped at Sampson leg.

"Hey, hey, hey...no rough stuff!" Elle scolded.

"QUIET!" Was the command to calm down, when they got to rowdy or were fighting with each other. They both went still and laid back down on the floor.

"And you," she pointed to Lonnie..."come get me!"

She backed down the hallway and turned to run but his long legs had already caught her. He pressed her back against the wall and devoured her mouth. Sweet, sweet kisses ...not too wet, not too much tongue, but perfect and oh so passionate. Sliding his hands down her back to cup her ass he lifted her up to straddle his waist and carried her into the bedroom. Putting her down on the bed on her knees, still kissing. She unbuttoned his shirt and he shucked it off the rest of the way and let it drop on the floor, still kissing. She undid his belt and unzipped his jeans and pushed both jeans and underwear to the his ankles. He toed his feet out of his boots. Not easy to do with jeans and underwear in the way and still kissing but he managed somehow. Lonnie broke the kiss for a split second and pulled the crop top over Elle's head and laid her back on the bed. He broke away again to pull the thong off and stayed on his knees just looking at her. She was exquisite and she belonged to him. He kissed up her legs and stomach, then ran his tongue around the little hard nubs on her breasts, kissed up her throat until he got back to her mouth. Their foreplay and lovemaking was soft but intense, gentle but erotic. It ended on a happy note for both husband and wife. Lonnie kissed her again and said, "I love you so much, baby."

Elle smiled up at him. "I love you more, Lonnie. You don't know how much you mean to me."

He kissed her neck and as she turned her head slightly and arched up against him hoping for a little more, she noticed 2 pairs of eyes watching them intently from the edge of the bed. They had forgotten to shut the bedroom door. Maybe Sampson and Delilah needed some pointers.


	4. Chapter 4

CHAPTER 4...June 1990

It was Sunday night and the holding area was ready and awaiting Elle's arrival. A couple more finishing touches and it would be perfect. Gable sat an old wooden chair just out of reach of the length of chain that was attached to the wall with a thick metal ring. The ring was bolted into the log of the cabin with 4" bolts and several screws for good measure. Tudor had told him he was going overboard, but Gable was adamant about not taking any chances. The old logging chain was almost too heavy for Tudor to move. He doubted Elle would be able to budge it to get to the bed or makeshift potty-chair that was within easy reach of it. But hey! He wasn't in charge of this rodeo. Although, he had insisted on clearing the place of spiders, bugs and a few mice.

"I don't give a shit about all that!" Gable had said. "It ain't supposed to be the fuckin Hilton!"

"I ain't doing it for her," Tudor said, "I'm doing it for me! You know I hate spiders and bugs. Ain't too fond of mice and rats, neither!"

 _What a pussy_! Gable thought bitterly to himself. _It will be a pleasure to put a bullet in you after we grab the girl_. Gable could hardly wait for either moment.

They had to abandon their first location. When they went to check it out, they found it had become a new camping destination. The overgrown lane up to the old house had been cleared of brush and fresh gravel hauled in. They could see several colorful tents set up and kids riding bicycles and scooters around the area and a few families barbecuing. The old house had been turned into an office for the campground and a bathhouse with toilets. A playground with swings, slides and those animals mounted on springs that rocked back and forth was off to the side of the house. The ground was covered in rubber mulch to keep the kiddo's boo boos to a minimum if they happened to fall off the equipment. It turned out that the picture from the calendar was a few years old. The new campground had been completed and open for business the last 10 months. Someone hadn't done their research before using the photo.

Gable had pulled the car back onto Panther Creek Road then pounded the steering wheel. Wham! Wham! Wham!

"What else can go wrong? Huh? Tell me, what else can fuckin' go wrong!" He screamed out.

Tudor's car had bit the dust a couple days before and they had to risk stealing one from over in Kennard. As Gable had switched license plates, Tudor thought, _if Jamison had just minded his own business there would be no revenge to take and Gable would still be in business in Sparta, Kennard, and Marshalsburg, making a killing._ Tudor pressed himself against the car door, tempted to open it, bail out and just walk back to Serenity Glen but decided the car was going way to fast and he might kill himself.

"Dude! Hey, calm down, man! Just calm down."

"Shut up, you little turd!"

The next second, Gable had a 9mm pressed to Tudor's temple.

"Hold on now, man! Wait, just wait! Ok! Hear me out. Just hear me out. I may have a solution for you."

"I'm listening." Gable said. He had calmed down some, but still had the gun against Tudor's head. "It better be good."

Tudor took a deep breath and blew it out. This might take some convincing. Tudor started speaking with a shaky voice. "You remember when we were kids, going out to that old hunting cabin at the back of Aunt Nona and Uncle Buddy's place on Wildberry Road?"

"Now what good is a burned out cabin gonna do us?" Gable snapped. "The place went up in smoke years ago. Matter of fact, I think we lit it up."

"No it didn't man! You thinkin' about the old shack on Ron and Lane Wormley's grandparents farm. Now, that one did burn, bout 15 years back. This one is on my aunt and uncle's homestead. My mama's sister and her husband, the Ballard's. Remember!" Tudor was getting excited now.

Gable thought for a minute and said, "come to think of it I do. That's where you fell out of the tree and broke your arm that time."

"That's the place! Well, it just so happens that I was back there a few weeks ago. Right after I got paroled. You know, just kinda reflecting on life, communing with nature, thinkin' how much I hated being in the joint and all."

Gable snorted at that.

"What?" Tudor asked.

"Nothing, go ahead."

Gable guessed that Tudor didn't realize that participating in his little plot would put his ass right back in there if they got caught.

Anyway, Tudor continued, "it's in pretty decent shape and I don't think it would take much work to get it ready. Logs are still solid. Floors good. Roof's good too. I might even move in there once this is all said and done."

Kid didn't have a clue that by this time on Wednesday, he would be floating in Brewer's pond. Gable thanked his lucky stars for that.

Turned out, Gable didn't need any convincing at all.

"Sounds good to me," he said. "Looks like we got us a plan B."

He put the 9mm back down on the car console.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5 ….June, 1990

Lonnie had every intention of getting up and doing a 5 mile run before work on Monday morning, but decided he would go into the station a couple hours early and check on a few things instead. The nagging feeling he had since poker night just would not leave him. He knew it had something to do with Parker's sighting of Gerrick Gable and that car being registered to Jackson Tudor. He wanted to see if he could get a handle on their whereabouts and find out what they were doing back in Sparta. He knew that Tudor had recently been paroled. It just didn't sit well with him.

Elle got up with him at 4:45am. She put on her robe and went to let the dogs out, remembering to disarm the security system. She put on a pot of coffee, then stepped out on the deck to greet the morning and wrinkled her nose.

 _Guess I'll be pulling pooper scooper duty this morning,_ she thought with a sigh. _It stinks out here_.

She went back inside as a thought occurred to her. She hurried to the bedroom before Lonnie got out of the shower. Opening a bottom drawer, she reached under some folded t shirts to retrieve her hidden stash of money from the Palomino. She got $250 and put the envelope back where it came from. She laid the bills on Lonnie's wallet for Carol' make over and headed back to the kitchen to start breakfast. Lonnie knew she had the money because he wouldn't let her contribute to any of the household expenses. He just didn't know how much she had.

"You use that money on yourself, baby. I'll take care of the bills and groceries," he had said. But she was saving it for something special, like a trip to Hawaii, if she could talk the hubster into it. They had only gone as far as New Orleans on their honeymoon but she wanted something a little more romantic than that and she planned to get it. She had a hard time convincing him to even let her continue to sing at the Palomino club 2 nights a month, after they had gotten married. He thought it would take away from their time together.

"You know I don't want you to work, Elle. I like the idea of you being here when I'm not at the station and can be at home. Plus, I make enough for us to live reasonably comfortable." He had been adamant about her not getting another job. Truth was, his Aunt Cordelia had left him a great deal of money and the 3 bedroom home where they were living. The big mansion had gone to her son, who hadn't appreciated anything his mother had done for him. The small house was paid in full and in decent shape. It had just needed some updating and Lonnie had that taken care of before they moved in. And, he was already way ahead of her on the Hawaii trip. It was all paid for and they were going in November, but she didn't know that. He had only taken a long weekend after the wedding for a short honeymoon, just for that reason. He wanted to save his accumulated time to take his wife on a dream honeymoon later in the year. The New Orleans trip had still cost him a small fortune but thanks to Aunt Cordelia, it hadn't hurt too bad. And like Elle had said, it had been "worth every penny."

"But you work night shift on the 4th Tuesday of the month anyway," she had said as she was trying to convince him to let her continue to sing. He had finally given in, which she knew he would eventually, but she could tell he wasn't happy about it.

They had gone to the Palomino Club one Saturday night, a few weeks after they started dating, to hear Luanne sing during open mic night. Luanne preferred blues but dabbled in country on occasion and The Southern Bullets were about the best musicians in the area. Good music was the key to any singers' success, although a good voice helped too. If the music wasn't played well then it really didn't matter how good you could sing. All people would hear was the bad music and the great voice would be over shadowed and over looked.

Luanne had wanted Elle to do a duet of 'Does She Love You' with her, but Elle hesitated. Lonnie had already told Luanne that Elle was pretty good in his opinion. He had heard Elle sing softly along with the radio in the car and he had heard her sing 'How Great Thou Art' acapella, when he went over to her house for dinner before he rang the doorbell one night. She had never sang in front of a crowd before though but finally gave in when Luanne kept after her. Plus Lonnie had said, "oh go ahead, hon. It's just for fun anyway." He knew how well she could sing. Luanne got some respectable applause for her part but Elle got a standing ovation, loud cheering and sharp whistles. Luanne had said, "Dang girl! You can wail. I never expected that. You been holding out on us." Elle had only smiled and thanked her for the compliment. Luanne had left a little early to go talk to the owner of The New Little Club, about singing there a couple of Saturday nights. Lonnie and Elle had stayed to finish listening to the other singers. A man approached them and held out his hand to Elle.

"Excuse me but I'm Gus Decker. I own this place. I just want to tell ya, little lady, I'm mighty impressed with what I heard from you. Open mic ends at 8:30, how's about singing a couple more with The Bullets after break?

Elle had said, "oh! No thanks. I just did tonight for Luanne."

Apparently, the owner had already said something to the band leader, Barry and when they got back from break, he got the crowd involved with getting Elle back on stage. The next minute she was singing 4 more and the crowd didn't want her to stop. It was some of the best music and vocals this place had ever seen! Encores just kept coming every time they tried to end the set for the night. Finally, Gus had to put a stop to it. When she was able to actually get off the stage, then people kept coming over to saying how much they enjoyed her singing and let us know when you sing again.

Gus came over and handed Elle a $100 bill. "Keep it," he told her when she tried to give it back. "The bar sales were triple what they normally are on a Saturday night this last hour. You earned it, young lady!"

The band members were equally impressed and Gus had asked her to sing at least 4 times a month. "You will be a good draw and I'll pay you part of the door whenever you sing. My Tuesday nights are tanking but I think you can help with that."

She could really use the extra money. Her part time job, waiting tables at the Magnolia paid her bills just barely. She asked Lonnie what he thought but he only smiled and said, "It's up to you, babe."

So she had agreed to a trial run for a month. Lonnie was less than thrilled but he didn't say anything. After they got married, she had cut it back to 2 Tuesdays a month and had told Gus, "if Lonnie wants me to quit, I will." She was still singing for now.

Lonnie came into the kitchen after getting ready. He had just put the money in his wallet. He would pay the credit card bill off when it came, like he always did and deposit the $250 into their Hawaii account he had opened, without her knowledge. The statements were sent to the police station, so Elle wouldn't get wind of it and asks questions. He ate breakfast, kissed Elle bye. And headed to work to see if he could cut off some trouble at the pass. He could feel it brewing. Elle cleaned up the kitchen, de-pooped the back yard, got ready for the day, chatted with Mrs. Hammond when she brought over a freshly baked pie and warned the pups to stay away from it and left for rehearsal, errands and the gym. All in all it was a pretty good day. Tomorrow would be a different story.


	6. Chapter 6

CHAPTER 6...June 1990

Lonnie had pulled everything on Gable and Tudor that he could find; arrest and parole reports, DMV record, drivers licenses, outstanding traffic tickets, warrants, property tax bills, and lien holdings. Truth be told, there was not much on Gable at all and that had surprised Lonnie. Considering everything they knew he had been into while he was living in Sparta, they had never had any actual evidence that he was the lead man on any of it. The man had never left his finger prints and had covered his tracks well.

D A Darnell wasn't about to prosecute anyone without full blown proof.

"I can't win a case on speculation and hearsay," he had told Virgil.

"But the man is guilty, as sure as I'm standing here," Virgil shot back.

"Then get me proof! Hard evidence is what it's going to take."  
But that had never materialized and Gable had remained a free man. Free to continue operating his enterprise, dealing drugs, laundering the money from it through a false LLC, bringing in younger prostitutes and shaking down business owners. You had to hand it to him, he knew how to work the system; structuring his bank deposit so nothing got reported.

The chief never quite understood why the man had applied for a job on the police force.

"I'll tell you why, chief," Bubba said, "cause the man knows that if he got on the force, be it with us or the sheriff's department, he would be under less suspicion than your average Joe. Makes sense now, don't it. If your dirty and want to fly under the radar, what better way to do it, huh?"

"You may be right about that, Bubba."

The chief didn't want Gable in town anymore and sent Lonnie out to give the man fair warning. Move on or they would dog him day and night until he made a mistake.

"And you will make a mistake," Lonnie sneered. "It's just a matter of time."

"You came all the way out here to tell me that?"

" Yeah, I did and I'll make it a little plainer if you can't understand English. Leave town by tomorrow. If I find out you're still here, I may just have to come out here and make you leave."

"Oh, I'm so scared!" Gable had said.

"You should be. Believe me, you don't want me to come back out here."

"Is that a threat, Jamison?"

"No, but it's a promise," Lonnie had thrown back over his shoulder as he got into the car.

By the next day, the man had disappeared with everything that he owned and the house that he had rented in Willow Bluffs had been scrubbed clean from top to bottom. They never figured that one out either. But he was out of their jurisdiction. He could be someone else's problem for a while.

There wasn't much on Tudor either, really. A couple DUI's that he had gotten probation and community service on. He had worked on the roadside cleanup detail to pay off that debt to society and a couple years in Parchment prison for drug trafficking, possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of a sawed off shotgun and pandering. He was now out on parole. Released after 14 months for good behavior.

Lonnie had gotten Virgil's ok to continue looking into Gable and Tudor.

"If Gable's back, I want to know why too," Virgil had said.

"I've just got a sneaky suspicion that something may be about to go down and I'm afraid that something may have to do with me," Lonnie said as he crossed his arms and sat down on the edge of the chief's desk, facing Virgil. "I hammered him pretty hard during all of those interrogations and it ticked him off but good."

Lonnie had brought the man in several times for questioning about various things but could never break him into giving a confession. Finally, the chief had told him to back off after Gable had threatened to sue the department and the city. Comer was with him that day.

"Why are you harassing a respectable business man whose just trying to make a decent living?" Comer said. He was livid, but so was Lonnie.

Lonnie had put his hands on his hips and said, "What's the matter, Comer? 'Fraid your gonna lose your cut?"

Comer had rushed at Lonnie then. "Why you smart ass!"

Lonnie had drawn his fist back to let Comer have it but the chief had stepped in front of him and put his hand on Lonnie chest.

"What are ya doing, Jamison?" He gave him that 'I don't like this anymore than you do' look. Lonnie lowered his fist but pointed a finger at Comer and said, "You ever come at me that way again, I'll drop you where you stand, council man," and walked out the door.

Gable had wanted to know if he could go now. Chief had said, "Sure. Go ahead."

Both Gable and Comer had left the station with Lonnie watching them every step of the way.

Lonnie asked the chief if he could borrow Sweet for a couple of hours before he sent him out on patrol, and gotten the ok. They had been buddies on and off the clock and worked well together. Both hated stakeouts but would rather have each other for back up then any of the other officers except for maybe Bubba. Bubba was a one man army and usually rode alone though, unless it was something particularly dangerous and the chief insisted he partner up with someone. That someone was very often Virgil. After they had gotten past their first issues with each other, they had become fast friends.

Sweet had been Lonnie's best man and Bubba a groomsman. Elle didn't have any family to speak of and what she did have lived too far away and couldn't afford the trip down to the wedding but wouldn't have come if they could afford to. She had an aunt and a couple of cousins living in Alberta, Canada. She had sent them invitations but got back a big fat NO on the RSVP, just like she knew she would. They hadn't even bothered to send even the smallest gift but that was ok with Elle. They had never really gotten along with each other anyway. They thought Elle was a snob and that she thought she was better, prettier, smarter and more talented than they were. Nothing could be further from the truth.

They didn't like Elle because she was a product of an affair between her mother and another man. Her mother was married to Aunt Regina's brother. When she was born the family could tell right off the bat that their brother wasn't the baby's daddy. She was dark haired, dark eyed dark complected. Nothing like either side of the family she was supposed to have come from. Hannah, her mother, had finally confessed about the affair and the family had shunned her and Elle. Elle wasn't even sure why she had sent them an invite.

With no family close by, Elle had asked Althea to be her matron of honor and Tracy to be a bridesmaid. It had been a fairly small wedding party. Ms. Joann had catered the food and decorated the fellowship hall at the church with help from Luanne and Dee. It had been a beautiful wedding. Short, sweet and hard to beat is what she told Lonnie she wanted and that's what she got.

"So what are we doing?" asked Sweet, sticking his hand between the small of his back and his utility belt. (A typical Sweet posture.)

"Going over to the hardware store to see I we can find out if Gable actually purchased anything during his visit on Saturday. Let's go. You can drive," Lonnie said. "We'll just go in the squad car."

Pulling up in front of the store, Lonnie could see a very old gentleman behind the register.

"Great!" he told Sweet, " Mr. Crisp. We'll be here all day."

Sweet laughed. "Yep, ya can count on that!"

"Morning, Mr. Crisp," Lonnie greeted the man as he entered the store.

Sweet said, "morning sir."

Mr. Crisp slowly nodded his head and after about 15 seconds said Morning...boys.

 _Oh, brother_ , Lonnie thought to himself. This is going to be a long conversation. Not so much word wise but because Mr. Crisp was slow as molasses in winter and never got in a hurry for anything. He talked slow, walked slow, ate slow. He did everything slow except drive. He was 96 years old and still sharp as a tack so he was still able to drive and boy, did he ever! If you saw him coming down the road, you best get outta the way. He had a lead foot and would have to stand on the brakes in order to stop that big old Cadillac.

"Gerrick Gable was in here on Saturday, wasn't he?" Lonnie asked. Again the 15 second delay along with the slow nod. Mr. Crisp licked his lips back and forth with his tongue, then smacked his lips getting ready to answer the question. "Y.. e... p!"

"Can you tell me what he bought when he was in here?"

Mr. Crisp walked very slowly over to the end of the counter. Reached very slowly to the shelf underneath and brought out a ledger and handed it to Lonnie, again very slowly. Mr. Calloway, the store's owner and Mr. Crisp were still very much old school and keep a hand written journal of cash purchases. Mr. Calloway only accepted cash or checks. No credit or debit cards of any kind. You wanted to use a card, you had to go over to the Wal-mart in Kennard. If you didn't want to give your name for a cash purchase, might as well head that way too. Paying cash...no name, no sale. It was posted right there on the old timey register.

Lonnie opened the ledger, found Saturday's date and ran his finger down the column. He found just what he was looking for. G. Gable. Pulling out his notepad he jotted down the purchases, closed the book, thanked Mr. Crisp for his time and being a good Sparta citizen and helping out the police department. Again, the 15 second delay, the tongue and the smacking of the lips and Mr. Crisp said, "Welcome...That...boy...up...to...no...good...is...what...I...say."

"That's what I say too," Lonnie said.

He thanked the man again and hurried out to the car followed by Sweet. As they were getting into the car Sweet said, "he reminds me of one of those huge 100 year old tortoises you see at the zoo sometimes, getting ready to talk."

Lonnie laughed as he keyed the radio mic to call the station. "Yeah, Luanne, this is Lonnie."

"Go ahead, Detective Jamison."

"Let me talk to the chief."

"Sure thing, he's right here."

Luanne handed the mic to the chief, who just happened to be standing at her desk to ask a question about the nightly reports.

"Yeah, what?"

"Chief," Luanne gently touched his hand, "you gotta push the button for the detective to hear ya."

"Oh, ok, right."

He pushed the button in and said, "yeah, what?"

Luanne just shook her head and stifled a chuckle.

"Chief, it's Jamison. Sweet and I just got done at the hardware store. Gable has bought some pretty interesting stuff. I do believe the man just might have made his first mistake."

"Well, let's hope so," Chief Gillespie said. "I'd like to see him off the streets for good."

"Me too," Lonnie replied. "It would make our jobs a whole lot easier, wouldn't it? We're heading back to the station."

It sure would make things easier. Maybe they had just caught the break they needed.

Gable had been relieved to find out he actually knew someone that worked at the Palomino and would be willing to give him some inside information, for a price, of course.

Judy Moody, yes that was her name, was more than happy to fill Gable in on the comings and goings of Elle's husband on the nights she sang. Judy hated Elle with as much of a passion as Gable hated Lonnie. Who did she think she was? Coming on up into the Palomino and taking all the band members attention by wearing her pretty clothes and cowgirl boots and swinging that shiny dark hair around and flashing that bright smile. Not to mention belting out all those songs and the crowd loving it. Everybody just gushed over Elle Jamison. _Puke_ , Judy thought to herself. Her husband was a looker though. I'd get naked for that man in a New York minute.

Lonnie had come into the club one night with Bubba Skinner and Judy had fallen head over heels in lust with him. She had come on to Lonnie that night but Lonnie had only said, "Well, I'm flattered but I think I'll pass." Pissed Judy off to no end! Judy was quite homely with short dishwater blond hair and bad skin scarred by acne. She was 5'2" with short arm and legs.

"Well excuse me if I'm not the model type, you've become accustomed to," she snarled at him and turned her attention to Bubba.

Bubba only held up his hand and said, "I'm not interested, Miss."

Course he wasn't, Judy thought bitterly. He's gettin it from that cute nurse over at the hospital.

So when the opportunity presented itself to possibly get Elle out of the Palomino for good. Judy couldn't help but to give Gable the information he wanted. He didn't tell her what he planned on but Judy was well aware of his reputation and knew it wouldn't be good for either Elle or Lonnie. For a couple hundred bucks and a good screw, she had told Gable everything he wanted to know. Only thing was, she didn't want the screw from Gable, she wanted it from Tudor.

Tudor curled his nose up and said, "no thanks," but, Gable's 9mm had changed his mind for him.

Gable had asked her what was wrong with getting a screw from him.

"When was the last time you brushed your teeth, took a bath or combed that rat's nest on your head?" she asked. "Ain't no telling what you got living up there from the way you scratching at it all the time. Geez! Not to mention, you just plain ugly."

"Well, I wouldn't be talking if I were you," he told her.

She got her screw, while Gable watched, collected her money, and told him what he wanted to know. Lonnie was always in the club watching his precious little darling of a wife on the 2nd Tuesday and 4th Tuesday, he never showed unless it was to come in and eat a bite of dinner with her, that he had stopped off and picked up. Judy had seen that happen a couple times.

"Thanks, Judy. Now get outta here and if you tell anybody that I asked about the Jamison's and you told me, you won't have to ever worry about another screw. You won't be alive to enjoy it."

Judy knew that wasn't an idle threat and went to put her clothes on. She had been talking to him naked as a jay bird and playing with herself the whole time. Gable had crunched his face up and looked away.

"So, looks like Jamison will be there tomorrow night. Guess we'll have to wait for 2 weeks," Tudor said.

"Ain't waiting no more and Jamison won't be there. We're going to keep him busy," was Gable's reply.

"How you planning on doing that?" Tudor asked.

"I'm going to kill somebody!"


	7. Chapter 7

CHAPTER 7

The next morning, Lonnie filled the chief and Virgil in on what they had found out from Mr. Jenkins at Serenity Glen, which hadn't been much. Getting anything out of Jenkins and his wife was like pulling teeth out of an alligator's mouth. Extremely hard to do and if you weren't careful, you might just lose a hand. Jenkins didn't like cops on his property.

"Yeah, Tudor rented. Far back corner. Nope, never saw anybody else with him. Yeah, he had a car. Don't know make or plate number. Couple days ago was the last time we seen him."

Mrs. Jenkins, whose first name was Hazel, was standing on the rotting front porch in her blond bouffant wig, orange lipstick and blue eye shadow, smacking her gum. When Lonnie asked her if she remembered seeing Tudor with anybody she had said "Yep."

She spit the gum towards Lonnie's boot and lit a cigarette. He waited for her to elaborate but when she didn't, he got aggravated.

"Well, who was it!" Lonnie didn't normally raise his voice too often when he was questioning folks, but these people were trying his patience. It startled Hazel and she dropped her cigarette. Her husband stepped on it to put it out before the whole place went up in flames.

"Short, ugly little blond gal driving a blue Maverick," she said.

"Thank you!" Lonnie said. "Now was that so hard?"

Hazel stuck her tongue out at him and went back inside.

Lonnie and Sweet had checked the trailer out before leaving the park. They didn't find much there either; a few dirty dishes and an ashtray full of butts …some with pink lipstick on them. Nothing of any personal nature at all. The small work shop out back was also empty, although Lonnie did find some scraps of leather and lots of metal shavings. There were some things on the purchases that Gable had made at the hardware store that would explain these finds, but that didn't prove any wrong doing or whether Gable was responsible for them being there.

They bagged them up anyway even though they didn't have a warrant to search the property. He told Sweet if it came down to brass tacks that he would take any heat that might come from removing those things from the work shop without one.

"Don't worry about it, Lonnie," Sweet said. "I got your 6."

The chief sent Dee and Luanne to rotate watching Serenity Glen to try to catch Tudor when he came back and also to talk to the neighbors. He sent Sweet to the Bottoms to rustle up Jimmy Dawes and tell him what they were looking at. Hopefully he could come up with some intel for a small fee, of course. Jimmy did nothing for free.

Since Lonnie and Virgil didn't have much on their case load, they spent the day tracking down leads and talking to people, but it seemed that Gable had vanished.

"Maybe he left town, already," Virgil said.

"Naw! My gut's telling me he's around here somewhere, slitherin' through the grass like the snake he is," Lonnie replied.

"Do you think he's trying to get his enterprise back up and running here?" Virgil asked, as he fastened his seat belt.

"Could be," Lonnie said. "Maybe he plans on using Tudor as a runner or a mule."

They headed back to the station and then Lonnie headed home for the day. He had to pick up Elle so they could have supper at the Magnolia and then head to the Palomino.

Ms. Joann was behind the counter, slicing a fresh baked pecan pie when they entered the cafe.

"Hey Ms. Joann," Lonnie said, as Elle greeted her with, "Hi Jojo."

Elle had her own little nicknames for some of her friends. Ms. Joann was Jojo, Bubba was Bub, Sweet was Wil, and Luanne was LuLu. She called Althea, Twiggy because she was tall and thin. Virgil was Cujo because of his tenacity with his and Lonnie's cases. Randy was Strings because he played guitar and fiddle and sometimes filled in for The Southern Bullets, and the chief was Bwana because...well just because.

One day while she had been wedding planning, Elle had walked into the station and slipped through the gate. Lonnie had stood up to go over to her but she waved him back down and said, "I want to see the chief. I'm on a mission."

"Well, ok then. He's in the office." Lonnie was stumped. He had no clue what she was thinking that day.

She could go pretty much where ever she wanted to in the station except around the holding cells and the men's locker rooms. So she came and went as she pleased. She had tried to talk Lonnie into having a quickie in the basement records room, one day when she went down to see him, but he just shook his head and laughed.

Elle had crossed the floor and went in the office. She stood silently and waited for the chief to notice her. Virgil was out at the moment and she was glad. He finally looked up from the file he was reading.

"Well, hello there, Sugar! What a nice surprise. What can I do you for today?"

Thus began her quest to get him to agree to walk her down the aisle and give her away to Lonnie. She explained the whole situation with her blood father.

"I haven't seen him in years and wouldn't know where to look," she said, and then asked If he would be willing to play her daddy at the wedding.

He told her it would "be an honor and a privilege."

He thought the world of Elle. She had hugged him and bounced out of the office like she was on cloud nine.

"Thank you, Bwana!"

And just like that, the nickname had stuck.

He wiped his eyes with a kerchief after she left. He was flattered that she considered him a father figure.

Ms. Joanne told Elle that she looked as cute as ever, then took their order. Salad and a water for her. The meatloaf plate and sweet tea for him along with a slice of that pie. They ate and chatted some more, then left for the club.


	8. Chapter 8

CHAPTER 8

"Come on! Will ya? I want to get in there before the crowd starts rolling in to get one of them back corner tables!" Gable said. He was as jumpy as a jar full of crickets.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm coming," Tudor called. "Don't know what your hurry is. People won't even start coming in until closer to 8 and it's only a little before 6." But Gable had someplace to be before 6:45 and it might take him awhile to get there and back. Tudor knew nothing about his little side trip.

"All right, I'm ready." Tudor came out the door and down the steps. "Now, where did you go?" Tudor called out when he didn't see Gable by the cars.

"I'm right here," he heard Gable say from somewhere behind him. He started to turn around as Gable put a bullet into the back of his head with the 9mm. Tudor never knew what hit him and dropped to the ground like a stone. Gable emptied Tudor's pockets and stripped his clothes off, then dragged the dead weight to the passenger side of Judy Moody's Maverick that was parked next to the stolen Buick. Judy was the one floating in Brewer's Pond. Her body would be found by the next fisherman who launched his boat there. He needed Tudor's body for something else. He pushed and shoved until he got him into the passenger seat and fastened the seatbelt. He ran around to the driver's side, started the engine and drove off in the direction of Tuckers Junction.

The dirt road that crossed the railroad tracks was just outside of town and about 3 miles from the cabin as the crow flies. but 8 miles by roadway …bout 15 miles from the Palomino.

Gable drove the car onto the tracks, put it in park and turned off the engine. He had already checked the CSX train schedule and knew it would blow by between 6:30 and 6:45. There was a fairly sharp curve in the tracks a little ways from where he left the car. With all the tree coverage and bushes, the engineer wouldn't see the car until it was too late to stop the train. The police would be called in but when they found the body with a big whole in its skull, they would call the detectives in and Lonnie would have to leave the Palomino.

He pulled the body over into the driver's seat and propped it up as best he could. He took off at a jog staying on the dirt road, not worrying about any footprints he might leave. Once he cut Jamison down to size, it wouldn't matter if they caught him or not. He would have gotten what he wanted and would go down fighting.

He cut across the woods and made it back to the cabin by 6:25. He changed clothes and shoes, made a final check of everything and hurried out to the Buick. He heard the train whistle as he pulled the car back out onto Wildberry Road. _Right on time,_ he thought happily.

* * *

Sharon and Barry were up on the stage checking mics and monitors when Lonnie and Elle walked in. The place was pretty well deserted, but that would change.

"Hey, chick!" Sharon called from the stage. "Cute outfit! Is that new? OMG, I'm gonna steal those boots!"

Elle's new cowgirl boots were black leather with square toes and had flowers and vines embroidered on them with silver, red and yellow metallic thread. She had fallen in love with them at the mall and had to have them. Her new dress with her old denim vest and the boots looked great on her.

"Hey there, Sissy,"( her nickname for Sharon), "Got us up and running yet?"

They made their way onto the stage and the girls gave each other a hug. Then Sharon hugged Lonnie and called to Barry, "Look whose here!"

The girls sat down on the edge of the stage to go over the song list for the night and make any adjustments. Elle sang harmony for Barry and Dave during their sets and they would do the same for her. Sharon would get up sometimes and sing harmony for Elle on songs she was fond of. When Elle had started with the band, it was like she had always been part of them. There was no adjusting to be done, she just picked right up and took off.

Lonnie made his way over to Barry, Dave, and Tim who were setting up their instruments and shook hands all around.

"How's it going, Lonnie? Chief Gilespie and Virgil keeping you busy? Hey Elle!"

"Hey there, Honcho." She called him that because he was head honcho of the band.

"You know it," Lonnie laughed. "You wouldn't think there would be so much crime in a small town."

Dave jumped in, "These small towns just seem to draw the criminal element, don't they?"

"They sure do. It's hard to keep a handle on it and I think we got more than our fair share," Lonnie said.

Gus came out of the office with Tammy, the bass player. More hellos were exchanged. He caught Lonnie's attention and motioned him off to the side by pointing with his chin.

Gable cracked the door open and peeked inside.

 _There she was with another woman sitting on the stage, looking at some papers in her hand. Her mouth was moving and she was tapping her right foot. She must be singing quietly to herself,_ he thought.

Jamison was standing on stage with his back to the door, so Gable took the opportunity to slip in and grab a table farthest away. He had let his hair grow longer and dyed it a raven black. He was wearing horned rim glasses with plain lenses and let his mustache grow over the last few days. He didn't think Jamison would recognize him.

Mary Grace came over and took his order. A Budweiser from the tap.

* * *

More people started coming into the bar and Gable tried to stay back in the shadows as much as possible. He watched Gus pull Lonnie back toward his direction.

 _Don't come over here!_ Gable began to panic a little. If Jamison did recognize him, it would be all over.

They stopped to sit down at a table a few feet away. Lonnie turned his way as he pulled his chair out to sit down. He nodded his head at Gable and said, "evenin'".

"Good evening," Gable returned the greeting, trying to disguise his voice as best he could.

Jamison leaned toward the other man and the two began to talk. He couldn't hear what they were saying but did manage to hear Elle's name. He had dodged a bullet. Jamison hadn't recognized him.

Gus said, "Lonnie, Elle is doing great. The crowd has increased more than I ever expected. I was wondering if you would consider letting her add an occasional Friday or Saturday night."

Lonnie tapped his fingers against the table top and looked at Gus.

"It just so happens that I wanted to talk to you about Elle, Gus. I want her to drop the last Tuesday for the time being."

"Oh no, Lonnie! Why?"

"Well, long story short, an old enemy of mine is back in town and until I can locate him to find out what he's doing back here, I would just feel better about things. I can't be with her here on that Tuesday and this is a fair piece from our house. Right now, I'm more concerned with her safety than your turn out."

"Well, I certainly understand that Lonnie, but you know we already watch her like a hawk when you're not here to do it."

Gus would do anything to keep Elle singing there.

"I know and I appreciate that. I really do. But this guy I'm talking about could be dangerous. It's not so much her time here as it is the drive to and from that concerns me," Lonnie said as he sat back in his chair.

"Let me come get her and bring her home then. You know I don't mind to do that one little bit."

But Lonnie just shook his head no. "Thanks, Gus. But this is the way it needs to be for now. Could you just go along and not fight me on it?" "It's Elle we're talking about, Gus. MY wife!"

Lonnie heard sirens in the distance and looked toward the front window. Barry started making some announcements about upcoming events at the Palomino.

"Yeah, ok, ok. How's Elle feel about it?" He asked sounding defeated. He hoped Elle had fought it but knew that Lonnie had already put his foot down.

"I didn't give her a choice, Gus."

"When it's all over, I get her back right?"

Lonnie smiled at the other man and said, "sure nough! And if she wants too, I'll even agree to one Friday or Saturday night a month. But only if she wants too."

Lonnie knew he would have to agree to it if he wanted to make it up to her.  
They got up and shook hands. Gus headed over to the bar and Lonnie headed to the door to see where the sirens were headed.

Elle was telling Sharon that Lonnie was making her give up that one Friday for the time being and why, when she heard sirens in the distance. They blew past the Palomino and headed on down the road. She watched Lonnie go to the door and step outside to see where they might be heading.

Even though it was his night off, he couldn't help himself. With his training, finding out where any siren was headed, be it police, fire or ambulance was engrained in him after so many years on the force.

Two of his department's cars and a fire and rescue truck sped by toward Wildberry Road and Tuckers Junction . Lonnie hoped it was just a traffic accident but knew it wasn't when he saw more flashing lights turn onto Tyler Road from the opposite direction.

Elle was already up on stage getting ready when Lonnie came back in. He headed to their table but changed direction halfway there and walked back toward where he had been sitting .  
Lonnie thought maybe he should check into that stranger he had spoken to earlier before his talk with Gus.

Gable heard the sirens and said _yes_ , in his head. He was beginning to wonder about the police response time in this town. The poor citizens of Sparta made to wait while those on duty officers finished their coffee and sandwiches or took a whiz.

"Excuse me, sir. I'm Detective Lonnie Jamison with the Sparta PD." Gable looked up into a face he despised. The band starting playing so Lonnie moved in closer so he could talk to the man without yelling.

"Yes, Detective?" Gable spoke in his other voice.

"Well, sir I don't believe I've seen you in our fair city before and I'm afraid I didn't catch you name earlier."

Elle had started to sing something upbeat to get the crowd going. A song called, Pour Me, by Trick Pony. Tudor had been right. The girl was really good. Really, really good.

"That's because I didn't throw it at you, Detective." Gable almost let the fake accent drop, he was so amazed at Elle's voice. Gable gave a pretend chuckle to show he was just kidding.

Lonnie smiled slightly too and said, "Well sir, would you mind throwing it at me now and telling me what business you have in Sparta?"

"Names Wilbur Hayden and I came up from Galveston to look at some property over near Kennard. Someone told me about this young lady and what a great little singer she is. Now if you don't mind I'd like to enjoy the show and my beer without any more questions, thank you." He glared at Lonnie through the glass lenses and pursed his lips like his old grand pappy used to do.

Elle started in on her second song, Two Doors Down. It was a slow tear jerker and a few couples were dancing on the wood dance floor off to the side of the stage. Lonnie looked at the man with a slight frown on his face.

"Just trying to keep our city safe, Mr. Hayden. Enjoy the rest of your evening."

Lonnie headed back to the table and sat down to listen to his beautiful wife finish her set. She would look over at him and smile or wink every so often. He was mad at himself for making her give something up she enjoyed doing, but she still had the first Tuesday. He just wanted her to be happy and he wanted to be the one to make her that way. He was selfish when it came to her. He really didn't want to share her with anyone.

About 30 minutes into Elle's set, a waitress walked over to Lonnie and bent close to his ear to tell him he had a phone call. "Thank you, Mary Grace."

"Your welcome, Detective."

Lonnie walked over to the bar and picked up the receiver.

"Hello?"

"Hey Lonnie, it's Peake. We gonna need you to meet Virgil out here on the old dirt road by Tuckers Junction. A car got stalled on the train tracks and we got one dead." They could barely hear each other over the noise on both ends.

"Sounds like a regular police matter to me Peake."

"Well sir, it would be if the dead man hadn't had his brains blown out before the train hit him."

"Alright. Tell Virgil I'll be there in a few minutes."

 _Here we go! Here we go!_ Gable was almost giddy. It was working just like he wanted it to.

Lonnie walked over to the edge of the stage and motioned Elle over. She nodded at him and when the instrumental portion of the song started she went over.

"There's been a homicide over at Tuckers Junction. I gotta go but I'll send Peake or Luke to come get you when it's over and run you home. Ok?"

It was time for vocals again so she said ok and bent to kiss him.

Gable watched Lonnie get up and go to the stage and speak to Elle briefly. He had ordered a double whiskey when the waitress had come back around and the glass shattered into a million pieces when Elle leaned forward to kiss her husband.


	9. Chapter 9

CHAPTER 9

Gable had to snap himself out of his trance. Watching Elle sing was mesmerizing. She had a way of drawing you into the songs, especially the sad break up and cheating ones. She got this little catch in her voice when she sang those, closing her eyes and using her hands to gesture with. She needed a recording contract in Nashville. Too bad she would never get one. Such a shame, Such a waste really. But Jamison brought this on himself and his little woman by crashing his empire when he ran him out of town on a rail.

He had gone out to smoke on the first band break and strolled out toward his car. He had parked as close to the service door as he dared to. He slipped around the corner of the building without being seen by the 3 people out front, standing and talking. He unlocked the trunk and got out a rag and a small bottle of chloroform and put them in his jacket pocket. It was amazing what one could purchase if one knew where to look. His 9mm was in the glove box. He got that out to and slipped it behind his belt at the small of his back, making sure his jacket covered it. He used Judy's key to unlock the service door and went back inside by the front entrance.

For one more $100 bill and another screw, Judy had turned over her spare key. Unfortunately for Judy, Tudor wasn't around that morning, so she had to settle for Gable. Tudor had dropped him off there minutes before Judy arrived and then made his escape.

"I ain't giving that skank another poke. It's your turn, man!"

"I swear," she told Gable, "if you give me crabs cause you ain't took a bath in god knows how long, I'm gonna kill ya!"

Gable didn't particularly want to get it on with, short, chubby, ugly Judy, but hey, a piece of ass was a piece of ass. Besides he hadn't had any for about as long as it had been since he'd bathed. Although he did plan on taking a long hot shower and cleaning up good over at the truck stop before he went out to the Palomino. Didn't want them running him off on account of B.O.

So he had taken Judy from behind right out in the open by Brewer's Pond and just at his point of no return, grabbed a handful of her hair, yanked her head back and slit her throat with his hunting knife. His release was euphoric! He pulled his pants up, dragged her body over to the small dock and dropped her in the water. He had left her clothes, shoes and purse on the ground but had taken all her money and car keys.

Elle hadn't heard from Lonnie yet. He would usually call to let her know when he'd be back or just to fill her in on what was going on. She decided when Tim played Steel Guitar Rag tonight, she would make a quick trip down the hall to the pay phone by the restrooms.

Lonnie had started towards his car to call Elle but looked at his watch and decided to wait. The band would be taking a second break in about 35 minutes. He would call her then instead of having them get her off the stage. She might be in the middle of a song right now. He walked back over to where they were loading a body bag into the ambulance.

"Tell Doc Rob we need an estimate on the size of the entry wound ASAP, will ya Francis?"

"Damn it, Jamison! How many times I got to tell you? My name is Frank!"

Lonnie could almost see steam coming out of the guys ears, he was so mad.

"You know what? I ain't quibbling with you over a name. You always been Francis to me and you'll always be Francis to me. End of story."

Lonnie threw back, "Just tell Doc Rob what I said!"

He really wanted to get back to Elle but couldn't leave Virgil to deal with this by himself. There was still a lot to do on the scene. Luke and Bubba were casting some footprints they had found on the dirt road. Virgil was directing the removal of the car and the Chief was directing everybody from the comfort of his arm chair; the radio close by his side.

Peake came up and handed Lonnie the registration from the demolished Maverick. Latrine Judisha Moody, was the name on the paper. Lonnie thought there was something vaguely familiar about that name but couldn't put his finger on it.

 _Latrine? Why would anybody in their right mind, name their kid after a toilet?_ Lonnie just didn't get it.

"Hey Peake?"

"Yes sir, Detective." Peake turned back toward Lonnie.

"Can you do me a favor and go over to the Palomino around about 10 or so and take Elle home for me? Looks like I'm gonna be here for a while still."

"Sure thing, Detective. I'll head that way at 9:45. That all right?"

"That's fine Peake and thank you."

"Not a problem sir." Peake was glad to help out anyone at any time.

Gable couldn't believe how well his luck was going tonight. First Jamison hadn't recognized him, then the plan to get him out of the bar had gone like clockwork. Now, Elle was leaving the stage while they played an instrumental tune and heading toward the hallway. Potty break, perhaps but there was also a pay phone down that way.

He flagged down Mary Grace and asked for another double whiskey. She had cleaned up the glass from his earlier incident and he had tipped her $20 for her trouble.

"Yes sir. I'll get that right away."

"Where's the men's room?" he asked her.

"Down that hallway, across the bar."

"Thank you."

Gus saw him cross the floor but didn't think much about it. And he never noticed Elle wasn't on the stage.

She was pushing change into the pay phone as he walked past her.

"Are you enjoying the show tonight, sir?"

"I am indeed. You're quite the talent!"

"Thank you. We got another hour or so to go. I'm going to be doing some Patsy Cline so don't go away."

Elle had completely ignored her husband warning about being mindful of her surroundings and strangers and just talked to one. Lonnie would be a little cross with her if he found out.

"I don't plan to go anywhere," the man said, then went into the men's room.

It, was empty too. I'm on a roll here he thought to himself. He soaked a rag with chloroform and threw the bottle in the trash then cracked open the door. Making sure there was no one coming down the hall, he stepped out and crossed quickly to come up behind her.

Lonnie's car phone continued to ring so finally Elle hung up the receiver. As soon as she did a hand came over her nose and mouth. She smelled a sweet sickly odor, the world faded to black, and she went limp. Putting his back to the bar room, he picked her up, then pushed his way out the service door, toed the trunk lid up and dropped her into the empty compartment. It had taken him only a few seconds to get all this done.

He laid the rag over Elle's face to keep her out until he got her back to the cabin and secured in restraints. Getting in the car, he turned the key and pulled out onto Tyler Road and headed to his hideaway, which was right under Jamison's nose at this very moment.

 _Score one for the bad guys!_ Gable smiled to himself.


	10. Chapter 10

CHAPTER 10

Tim's song was almost over and Elle wasn't back yet. Sharon went down the hallway but didn't see her at the pay phone where she had motioned to Sharon that she was going. She pushed open the door to the ladies room and called out, "hey Elle, Tim's almost done. Get a move on!" No answer. There were two women in front of the mirror putting on lipstick. "You all seen Elle?" she asked. Both said no. Of course they would say no. They were so jealous of her, they couldn't stand it. She had managed to snag one of Sparta's most eligible bachelors within days of moving here while they both had tried for years just to get a date with him.

Sharon ran back down the hall and into the main area just as the song ended and quickly scanned the bar and tables. She couldn't find her partner in crime anywhere. She had come to love that girl like a sister. Elle would stay the night with her and Barry sometimes when Lonnie had late stakeouts with Sweet. Even though they lived about an hour outside of Sparta, just past Marshalburg, Elle would load Sampson and Delilah up in her SUV and bring them along. Their lab Dixie loved to have visitors. Human or canine. She made a quick trip past the bar and tables in case she had missed her the first time, still nothing.

Barry had seen his wife's face when she came back into the bar room from the hall and figured whatever it was, it couldn't be good. She went up on the stage and told them to take an early break then got on a mic. Addressing the crowded room she said, "Can I have you attention please! Has anyone seen Elle within the last 10 minutes or so?" She waited. "Anybody?" No's rang out across the room. Sharon started to panic, just a little.

Barry said, "I'll check out front and the parking lot. Gus, Calvin you guys check all those storage rooms on that side."

Gus ran toward the liquor room thinking, _OH SHIT...OH SHIT...OH SHIT...I told him we always watched her like a hawk and now she's missing! I'll be lucky if all he does is beat me to a pulp!_ He started to sweat profusely. He had found out over the years that Lonnie Jamison could be a little bit scary when he got mad.

The bar's phone rang and Joey, the bartender rushed to pick it up. Hoping it was Elle but knowing it wouldn't be. He had a secret crush on her from the moment he had met her and he wanted so bad to be Lonnie. Elle was the sweetest thing ever and had the gentlest soul of anybody he had ever met. Her nickname for him was Pooh Bear because he had told her once that he wanted to be a beekeeper so he could have all the honey he wanted.

Lonnie had noticed a missed call on his car phone but didn't recognize the number. He punched in the Palomino's. Joey answered, "Palomino Club."

"Yeah, hey Joey, it's Lonnie. Let me talk to Elle for a minute."

"Hold on Lonnie." Joey seemed a bit shaken.

"Sure," Lonnie said.

Even though the phone had a hold function, Joey never used it. He set the receiver down on the bar.

"Gus, Gus, Hey Gus," he heard in the background. "It's Lonnie! He wants to talk to Elle. What do you want me to tell him?"

That was all Lonnie needed to hear. He had the car started, shifted into drive and peeled out of Tucker Junction in a split second, throwing up a cloud of dust as he went.

Voices and images kept flickering across Elle's half-conscious mind. Seeing Lonnie for the first time and his shy smile as he asked her name. Kissing Bwana's cheek for agreeing to walk her down the aisle. Moving furniture and boxes into their house after the renovations were done and pretending to argue with Lonnie over what should go where. Their drive to Gulfport for a weekend getaway. Meeting Sampson and Delilah. Sharon and Althea shopping with her for a wedding dress.

She became more conscious as an irritating scrapping sound invaded her memories. She tried to open her eyes but couldn't. Her eyelids felt like they were made of lead and her throat felt raw when she swallowed. _Great_ , she thought _. Just what I need. To get sick!_ As a matter of fact, she hurt all over. The scraping sound was starting to get on her nerves. She was finally able to crack her eyelids open a little but her vision was blurry. She couldn't move her hands very good either. What in the world is wrong with me!

"Lonnie? Stop that! You're working my last nerve, babe!" She thought she had yelled this but it came out in just over a whisper. Somebody had heard her but it wasn't her husband.

"Jamison, come in. You copy?" Virgil's voice came over the radio. He had seen the vette leave at an incredibly high rate of speed and knew something was up.

"Yeah, Virgil. I'm here."

"What's going on?" Virgil asked.

"Sorry I just took off like that. Something is happening over at the Palomino, possibly with Elle. I got to go check on her, Virgil. I'll fill you in when I know more."

"10-4" Virgil responded. "Keep me posted. I'll finish up here."

As Lonnie was driving he radioed Parker at the station. "Why does the name Latrine Judisha Moody sound familiar to me?" Lonnie asked him.

"Judy Moody? Cause, she's a waitress over at the Palomino, Lonnie. That's why."

"Short, blond, on the chubby side?"

"That's her."

"See if you can track her down, will ya? I didn't see her at the club. It was her car that got hit by the train but it wasn't her body in it. We need to find her."

"Right on it Detective!" Parker had a task to complete now and he was all business. "When I know, you'll know!" He told Lonnie and was gone.

The vette's tires squealed as he fishtailed into the parking lot of the Palomino and Lonnie was out of the car almost before it came to a full stop. His long legs carried him to the door in 6 huge strides. When he entered the bar there were people talking amongst themselves but they all went quiet when they saw him. Sharon rushed over to him, trying her best to keep her composure but lost it when she saw his eyes searching the stage area and everywhere else for the woman who held his heart in the palm of her hand.

"Well now, I see you're awake. But I'm not ready for you to be awake just yet. Back to sleep you go."

Elle thought it was the man with the jet black hair and horn rimmed glasses that she had talked to while she was waiting for Lonnie to pick up his phone but she wasn't sure. She couldn't get her eyes to focus. The scraping noise had stopped though.

"Where am I? What's happening? Where's Lonnie? Where's my husband? I need my husband!" Elle thought she was saying all this to the strange man , but couldn't hear herself speaking.

"I'm sure you do. I'm...sure...you.. do," Gable chuckled. "You're going to really need him before I'm done with you."

There was that sweet, sickly smell again and she was gone for another couple of hours. Gable almost had a change of heart when he saw how pretty she looked while she was out but it passed quickly. He went back to what he had been doing. Getting everything ready and setting up to scare Jamison out of his mind. He had sharpened the machete to a razor's edge, which explained the noise she had heard. His cat o nine tails was on the table beside it along with his 9mm. Now to set up the video recorder in just the right place. In front of the chain with their restraints where he would put Elle. He would record stripping her down to all of her lusciousness.

Making Jamison watch while he violated her would be more satisfying than the violation itself.


	11. Chapter 11

CHAPTER 11

Lonnie didn't see Elle anywhere and poor Sharon was falling to pieces in front of him. He put his hands on her arms and asked, "Sharon? Where's Elle?"

"She's gone, Lonnie! She's gone! We've searched everyplace! I'm sorry! I'm so so sorry! Oh my god! My little buddy is gone!" She managed between sobs.

"What do you mean, she's gone?" Lonnie almost couldn't get the words out.

Barry stepped up to his wife and rubbed her shoulders while she tried her best to remember everything and fill Lonnie in.

"She's right Lonnie. We've gone over this place with a fine tooth comb. Whatever happened, it happened quick. If she had come back out of the hallway into this main area I would have seen her. My guess...there's that service door close to the restrooms. I went back there and looked too after Sharon did. That door was ajar, but I didn't see anything suspicious. Gus and Eddie are the closest parked cars to it. Course those cars are still back there. Gus or Eddie haven't left. They're still right here. Tim's song was a little over 3 minutes long and Elle left the stage just as it started and Sharon went to get her before it was over knowing she was up next. We asked everybody but no one saw her after she left the stage. It had to have been that service door."

Lonnie's mind was reeling. _Gable! It was Gable!_

Lonnie looked around and spotted Gus standing by the bar, wringing his hands and staring at him as if he were the devil himself. Lonnie crooked a finger at him and did a come here gesture. Gus's eyes got as big as saucers and he thought, _Well here it comes. I'm a dead man! Lord, thank you for blessing me all these years. I've had a great life._

* * *

While Elle was out, Gable took the opportunity to run over to Nalley's Never Close for a few things. He was almost out of smokes and beer. He could still see the glow of distance lights over at Tuckers Junction and wondered if Jamison was still there. He got his answer as he passed the Palomino. The red vette was parked askew in the front entrance. _Playing a game of Clue, are ya Jamison?_

* * *

"Calvin, Joey you guys guard that door. Nobody else comes in. And nobody, I mean NOBODY leaves until I say so. You understand me?" Lonnie said.

"Yes sir," Calvin said. Joey nodded his head rapidly up and down and followed Calvin to the entrance. Each man took a position in front of one of the double doors and tried to look as intimidating as possible but both were heart sick. Calvin because Lonnie and Elle were his friends and he didn't like one of them hurting. Joey for himself, afraid he might never see Elle again.

Gus made his way over to where Lonnie was standing. Lonnie stood 6'1" in his socked feet. Gus a little over 5'10" in his. He looked up at Lonnie and swallowed hard. "Lonnie, I...I...don't," but that's all he had time for before Lonnie grabbed his shirt front and lifted the man up to his eye level. Gus was on tippy toe.

"What happened to we watch her like a hawk when you're not around to, Gus?" Lonnie snarled. "What happened to THAT?"

"Lonnie?" Barry said as he came up beside him. "Hey, buddy, how's this gonna help us find Elle?"

Lonnie looked over at Barry. "I don't know, Barry but I got to get it out of system so I can concentrate on finding my girl."

Barry nodded and stepped back. "Do what you got to do, my friend."

Gus squirmed. "Now Lonnie, don't do anything you may regret later."

His eyes were closed the whole time and he had his face scrunched up just waiting for that big fist to pop him in the eye or the nose.

Lonnie said, "Gus, you'll be lucky if I even let my wife set foot in this place again." And then Lonnie thought to himself _, If I even find her alive_. His mind was already going to a dark place that it didn't need to be anywhere near just yet.

After he put Gus back on solid ground, Lonnie said, "Barry, there's a portable radio out in my car. Would you go grab it for me?"

"Sure will." He hit the door running to get the radio and was back almost before he left.

"We're sick over this, Lonnie. Just sick. If we can help any way at all, just say the word."

"Thanks Barry."

"Can you turn one of the mics on for me?"

Barry was up on stage in an instant. He wanted Elle back safe and sound just as much as Lonnie did. He had grown very fond of Elle and appreciated her friendship with Sharon. He loved Elle's quirky little ways and she was a hoot to be around. All her little sayings and the way she had of putting a nickname to everyone she had grown to love since being in Sparta. Tim became Coop which was a play on his last name. Dave was sticks because he played drums. Tammy was Tammy Lou, Barry wasn't sure why. And she called Tammy's mom, Mama. Barry knew Elle's had abandoned her when she was just a kid.

Lonnie pulled a chair out and guided Sharon into it. She sat down with her face in her hands. He squatted down in front of her and patted her knee gently.

"Sharon? Sharon, hon? Take a deep breath and try to calm yourself for me, ok? I need to talk to you and I need you calm."

A couple of people got up and headed for the door but Joey turned them back and said, "You can't leave until Detective Jamison says you can." They quietly returned to their seats. They both had grown up and went to school with Lonnie. They knew he was a force to be reckoned with but they needed to get home.

Lonnie told Sharon he would be back in a minute. "Please try to collect yourself. I'm gonna need your help. Elle's gonna need your help. Ok?"  
Sharon raised her head to look at Lonnie and nodded. "K," she whispered.

"Good girl," Lonnie said and patted her knee again.


End file.
